Recipes Butternut Squash Soup with Crisp Pancetta 5.0 (1,655) 5 Reviews In this recipe from chef Tom Valenti, butternut squash is first buttered, seasoned, and roasted with pancetta slices draped over the top to infuse flavor. By Tom Valenti Tom Valenti Instagram A 1990 Food & Wine Best New Chef, Tom Valenti is the executive chef of the Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Morristown, New Jersey. Known for his mastery of French and Italian cuisines at Ouest and Le Cirque, Valenti's illustrious culinary career has spanned more than four decades. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 6, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Yield: 12 servings The finished soup is pureed until creamy smooth and served with the crispy crumbled pancetta for textural contrast. Ingredients 4 medium butternut squash (6 pounds) 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 12 very thin slices of pancetta (3 ounces) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 large Spanish onion, chopped 6 thyme sprigs, divided 1 bay leaf 2 quarts chicken stock or low-sodium broth 2 tablespoons heavy cream Sugar (optional) Directions Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Set the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, cut sides up. Put a piece of butter in each cavity and season generously with salt and pepper. Drape the squash halves with the pancetta slices. Roast the squash for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tender. Transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain. Crumble and set aside. Scoop the squash out of the skins into a bowl. In a large, heavy stockpot, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add 3 of the thyme sprigs and the bay leaf. Stir in the squash and the stock and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pick out and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until thick and creamy-smooth, about 1 minute per batch. Transfer the soup to a clean saucepan. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper (and sugar if desired). Reheat the soup if necessary. Ladle into 12 bowls. Garnish the soup with the pancetta, the leaves from the remaining 3 thyme sprigs, and a drizzle of olive oil. © John Kernick Make Ahead The soup and roasted pancetta can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat the soup and recrisp the pancetta before serving; the soup may need to be thinned with stock or water. Note Tip: When making squash purées and soups, first bake the squash in the oven until tender so it's easier to remove the flesh from the skin. The smooth varieties can be peeled; for ridged or nubbly squash, simply scoop the flesh out with a spoon. Rate it Print